Road marker



Jan. 26, 1937. w, H; HAN 2,068,937

ROAD MARKER Filed May 5, 1935 v I INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 26, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to that class of road markers which bear reflectors directed against appreaching traffic and by reflection of the light of head lamps and the like of automotive vehicles indicate or delineate the roadway at night.

The object of this invention is to provide a novel, inexpensive, extremely rugged and easily installed marker, which will last ordinarily as long as the highway and withstand practically any traffic shocks, while being in itself a traffic hazard of no consequence whatever. The object appears to be wholly realized in the apparatus shown described.

In carrying my invention into effect I provide a relatively short post of concrete arranged to be set either completely or nearly completely into the shoulder of a highway, as near as may be desired to the margin, which post is scientifically reinforced against all shocks it is likely to receive, and with the reflector, or reflector assembly, carried by an extension of the reinforcement itself. Actually the apparatus has but three elements, the concrete post, the reinforcement, and the reflector carried by the reinforcement. In fact it is quite as simple as a device of its type can be made.

In the drawing, a rectilinear perspective of the concrete post and related parts, I is the margin line of a highway, traflic assumed coming along the right side of the road as indicated by arrow 2. 3 is the top of the concrete post, preferably formed as a truncated pyramid of triangular cross section of truncated tetrahedron, as here shown. It may be round, oval, square, octagonal, or otherwise in cross section, but the three side or triangular cross section takes less concrete and has much more bearing surface than any other suitable form. As everyone understands the three-side pyramid has small cubic content and great surface area for any given dimension, as compared with almost any figure. A reinforcing bar, say, of flat wrought iron strap, of about Width and 1% thicknesswhich is generally ample, is imbedded in the corner of the post most exposed to traflic. An anchorage 5 is shown formed at the lower end of this bar. The top of the bar is simply rolled over on itself to form a sleeve 6 within which is carried one of the ordinary lens-reflector systems well known in the art and equally well known in roadside signs, this being indicated at 1.

It will be manifest that the post is reinforced against bending moments due to shocks from 5 traffic which may momentarily leave the road in precisely the points where such bending moments will be the greatest-in the corner of the post exposed to trafl'ic.

It is found in practice that when anautomo- 10 bile wheel rolls over the sleeve, even at relatively high speed, the jolt is negligible, scarcely more than would be experienced in running over such an object as a black walnut or stone of that size. The force of a blow is largely directed 15 downward and the post, reinforced as described, is practicably indestructible.

Two reflectors can be carried by one unit, if desired, one directed each way, but the best practice appears to be to have two sets of reflectors, each set directed against approaching traffic and on the drivers right.

The apparatus is the first, I believe, to be scientifically constructed so as to obtain the maximum of rugged durability, the minimum of parts, 25 and ease of installation, in concrete structure.

While the apparatus has been described with particular reference to a reflector signal, it is manifest the extended reinforcement can as easily carry any other signal or sign, such signal 30 or sign simply replacing the reflector unit, and such signal or sign may or may not have re fleeting surfaces as desired.

Having described my invention, what I claim In combination with a highway, a concrete post substantially a truncated tetrahedron in shape,

a substantially longitudinal reinforcement extending from the lower to the upper part of said post imbedded within one of the angles of 40 said post, said post imbedded in the ground near the edge of said highway and with the reinforced angle of said post nearest said highway and approaching traflic on said highway, and a reflector carried by said reinforcement and directed 45 towards approaching traflic on said highway, substantially as set forth.

WINSTON H. VAUGHAN. 

